Tips & Tech Bulletins

At Erickson’s Automotive, our ASE certified technicians stay current on the latest repair procedures, recall information and technical service bulletins with a combination of factory manuals, the ALLData on-line database, and by networking with thousands of technicians worldwide via the Internet. Here are some of the common ailments we see regularly. If you have a question about your Jeep (or any other vehicle make we service), please feel free to give us a call at 503-635-4116 or fill out our contact form.

(TIP) A/C intermittently blows warm (97-02 Cherokee & 99-04 Grand Cherokee)Its possible the clutch hub needs to be re-shimmed. Its also very common for the clutch coil to be intermittently failing when it gets hot. Either way, we can fit it!

(TIP) Cold air blowing out passenger’s side heater ducts (99-04 Grand Cherokee)Jeep is having some trouble with the heater blend doors failing causing cold air to blow when heat is desired. A new updated blend door will fix the trouble.

(TIP) Mysterious sudden engine oil consumption ( All Jeep/Dodge 5.2 & 5.9 V8’s) The intake manifold belly gasket can fail causing sudden oil usage. Customers will often notice pinging due to carbon build up from burning oil. A new updated gasket is the fix for this along with de-carbonizing the engine to solve the pinging issue.

(TIP) Brake Pulsations (1999-2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee)Many owners have experienced repeated brake pulsation issues with their late model Grand Cherokee. Chrysler has released new front brake calipers and pads to correct the problem. They are available at a very reasonable price. We normally have to replace the brake rotors also. We use an aftermarket brake rotor that is more resistant to warpage than the original factory rotor. Call us for more information.

(TIP) Inoperative Power Door Locks (1999-newer All Models)A power door lock that makes a buzzing type noise and does not unlock the door is normally cause by a faulty door lock actuator (motor).

(TIP) Erratic gauges and or dash lights (1997-1999 Cherokee and Wrangler)Often times a connector for the dash circuit fails causing erratic operation. A new repair wire harness connector is available to correct the problem.

(TIP) Vibration at Idle, Feels Like an Engine Misfire (All Jeeps, Especially 1993 to 1998 4.0L Grand Cherokees)A vibration at idle that feels like an engine misfire may be caused by broken or cracked engine mount(s). A broken left hand engine mount can lead to cracking and breaking of the exhaust manifold in 2.5L and 4.0L engines.

(TIP) Mysterious Coolant Loss (1993 to 1998 V8 Grand Cherokees)If you are experiencing a “Low Coolant” warning on your 5.2L Grand Cherokee without evidence of coolant on the ground (and the vehicle may have passed a cooling system pressure test), you may have a water pump seal leaking intermittently (especially above 60,000 miles). This can continue for some time but the pump seal will eventually fail completely.

(TIP) Creaking/Groaning Noise Over Bumps (1993 to 1995 Grand Cherokees)Improved sway bar bushings are available to eliminate an annoying noise from the front suspension of Grand Cherokees. A minor repair to eliminate a major annoyance.

(TIP) Knocking Noise Under Seat (Jeep Cherokees)We have found many vehicles that exhibit a knocking noise under the driver’s or passenger’s seat during acceleration from a stop. Often times this is due to a soft or “sagging” transmission mount that allows the exhaust pipe to hit the cross member.

(TIP) Passenger Side Wiper Blade Hits Window Trim or Cowling (Jeep Cherokees)We have found that a “sagging” wiper blade on the passenger side of the vehicle is due to worn wiper transmission pivot bushings.

(TIP) Rattle Under Vehicle Like “Rocks in a Can” (All Jeeps)The catalyst material inside a catalytic converter can break up. This will result in a rattle under the vehicle that sounds like “rocks in a can.” This rattle may be more pronounced when the vehicle is first started or when it is shut down. The broken catalyst material may restrict exhaust flow resulting in loss of engine performance.